Arch support



Sept. 6, 1938. s. J. JAY 2,129,424

ARCH SUPPORT Filed May 28, 1936 INVENTOR. Jeye/z JT Jdy BY Wg@ ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, v1938 UNITED stares eximir orties ARCH SUPPORT Steven J. Jay, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 28, 1936, Serial No. 82,198

2 Claims.

This invention relates to arch supports for positioning between the inner and outer soles of a shoe or boot, and the object of the invention is to provide a thin metal plate formed with flexi- 5 ble fingers having terminal end portions to lie in position beneath the base of the metatarsal arch of the foot and to extent rearwardly therefrom in arch form to support the longitudinal arch of the foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch support of thin sheet metal having finger like portions extending from one end that are curved longitudinally about a transverse axis and provided with stiffening ribs.

It is further an object and feature of the invention to provide an arch support adaptable for permanently positioning between the inner and the outer sole portions of the footwear and having linger portions of spatulate form, the terminal ends extending to beneath the base of the metatarsal arch of the foot.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of an arch support embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing a shoe having my improved arch support permanently positioned therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved arch support.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on an enlarged scale i taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

My improved arch support is adapted for permanently positioning between the inner and outer soles of a shoe or boot. This position is shown in Fig. 1 in which the arch support is indicated at l and they inner sole is indicated at 2. The plate is of the form shown generally in the perspective view Fig. 2 and has a heel portion apertured to receive attaching means, for instance the nail 3 or the like as indicated in Fig. 1. This nail xedly secures the arch support in the desired position with the forward finger portions ll terminating at the proper point to support the metatarsal bones of the foot at the base of the metatarsal arch and is bowed transversely to eifeotually support the tarsal bones of the foot as will be understood from Fig. 1L These finger portions 4 are preferably, spatulate in form being wider at their ends 5 than at the point of contact with the main base portion t of the support. This provides flexible finger portions and the de- (Cl. Sii-76) vice being stamped from sheet metal is formed with integral ribs l running longitudinally of each finger and projecting on the under side of the device and further extending well into the base portion 6 of the plate as will be understood from Fig. 3. This provides a stifened portion under the longitudinal arch and as the grooves terminate short o1" the terminal ends of the ngers, a more yieldable end portion is provided supporting the metatarsal arch of the foot.

Preferably also, the finger la is formed on a slightly greater radius and each of the remaining fingers of slightly less radius. Thus the finger lia on the inside of the device is. the longest finger of the group, the others successively being less in length. Thus the plate conforms to the shape of the transverse curve of the foot just back of the metatarsal bones and beneath the longitudinal arch of the foot. This will be observed more particularly from Figs. 3 and 4 in which the plane of the base portion 6, if positioned in horizontal plane, shows that the iingers extend below the planes of the base a slightly greater distance from the base on the right side than on the left of Fig. 3. Likewise, preferably the terminal end 5 of the finger 4 is slightly upturned to a little sharper degree than the remaining fingers of the group but the curve of the fingers may be varied somewhat from the form here shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

It will be evident from the foregoing that a complete iinished arch support is provided from a single piece that is formed with ngers stiiiened by integral ribs extending longitudinally in the portions of the plate lying directly underneath the longitudinal arch and across the base of the fingers. These ribs terminate short of the terminal ends which are flat and spatulate in form to desirably function in yieldable support of the metatarsal arch of the foot, and that the various features and objects of the invention are attained by the construction described. Y

Having thus briefly described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. An arch support comprising a sheet of metal transversely bowed in form and provided with longitudinally extending fingers at one end and adapted to be attached at its opposite end to the heel of footwear between the inner and outer soles thereof, said lingers being spatulate in form and tapering toward the point of connection with the plate, said fingers being reinforced by forming a rib extending outwardly on the bowed side and extending from the base part way of the length of the ngers providing a stiffened section of the fingers for sustaining the arch of the foot and a more flexible portion for supporting the metatarsal bones of the foot of the wearer of a shoe or boot the said ngers being angularly disposed in relation to the plane of the vbaseY portion to provide a surface form in cross section corresponding to the cross sectional form'of the sole at the longitudinal arch of the foot.

2. An arch support for permanently positioning between the inner and outer soles of footwear, said plate being formed of comparatively thin sheet metal and bowed in form transversely, said plate having an aperture at one end for a retaining element passing through the outer sole into the heel to thereby properly position the crown of the plate in position to support the longitudinal arch of the foot, longitudinally extending fingers at the toe end integral with the plate, said fingers being slightly upturned at the ends and being angularly disposed in relation to the plane of the base portion attachable to the heel by forming the nger on the outer side of the footwear on a slightly longer radius than the nger on the inner side and the intermediate fingers being formed on corresponding radii whereby the ngers change in contour in respect to the plane of the base gradually fromk the outer to the inner side, said ngers being reinforced by a rib pro- Yjecting from the under side of the arch support and extending from the base longitudinally of each finger part way of its length to'stiffen the said ingers across the said longitudinal arch.

STEVEN J. JAY. 

